The present invention relates to a needle protector. More specifically, the invention is directed to a needle protector having a body, a needle hub and a needle. The needle is mounted on the needle hub. When the needle hub is moved along body, the needle is retracted into the body where it is locked into position.
It has been determined that certain viruses such as the hepatitis B virus can be transmitted from one person to another by accidental "needle-pokes". This type of accident can happen during medical procedures. An example of such a procedure is the insertion of a catheter into a blood vessel of a patient with a needle. After the catheter has been inserted in the blood vessel, the needle is removed from the catheter at which time the pointed end of the needle can be accidentally poked into the person handling the needle or someone in the vicinity of the needle. The residual blood on the needle can be inserted in the person poked by the needle thereby transmitting a virus in the blood.
It has been found that there is a need for a needle protector in which the needle can be easily handled during insertion in a patient and then retracted into the body of the needle protector and locked into place so that the pointed end of the needle cannot come into contact with another person. The present invention satisfies this need.